Toad in the hole in 4 easy steps
Cooking time
Prep: 20 mins Cook: 40 minsSkill level
EasyServings
Serves 4A British classic. Meaty sausages enveloped in crispy batter, plus, a special onion gravy to really top it off. We think it's better than mum's!
Nutrition and extra info
Additional info
- Easily doubled / halved
Nutrition per serving
- kcalories
- 520
- protein
- 25g
- carbs
- 37g
- fat
- 31g
- saturates
- 9g
- fibre
- 2g
- sugar
- 11g
- salt
- 2.22g
Ingredients
- 100g plain flour
- ½ tsp English mustard powder
- 1 egg
- 300ml milk
- 3 thyme sprigs, leaves only
- 8 plain pork sausages
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 onions, peeled and sliced
- 1 tsp soft brown sugar
- 500ml beef stock
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Method
- Make the batter: Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Tip flour into the large mixing bowl and stir in the mustard powder with a good pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre, crack in the egg, then pour in a dribble of milk. Stir with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating some of the flour, until you have a smooth batter in the well. Now add a bit more milk and continue stirring until all the milk and flour has been mixed together.
- The batter is ready: You should now have a smooth, lump-free batter that is the consistency of double cream. Tip it back into the jug you measured your milk in, for easier pouring later on, then stir in the thyme. Use scissors to snip the links between your sausages, then drop them into a 20 x 30cm roasting tin. Add 1 tbsp of the oil, tossing the sausages in it to thoroughly coat the base of the tin, then roast in the oven for 15 mins.
- Cook the batter: Take the hot tray from the oven, then quickly pour in the batter – it should sizzle and bubble a little when it first hits the hot fat. Put it back into the oven, then bake for 40 mins until the batter is cooked through, well risen and crisp. If you poke the tip of a knife into the batter in the middle of the tray it should be set, not sticky or runny.
- Make the gravy: Soften the onions with the remaining oil in a large nonstick frying pan for about 20 mins, stirring often, until they are golden brown. Sprinkle in the sugar for the final 5 mins. Add the spoonful of flour, then cook, constantly stirring, for 2 mins, so it coats the onions and there is no dry flour left. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring well to make a smooth sauce. Bubble for 4-5 mins to thicken, then season. Cut the toad in the hole into large wedges and serve with the gravy spooned over.
- EQUIPMENT: Large mixing bowl, measuring spoons, wooden spoon, measuring jug, scissors, 20 x 30cm shallow roasting tin, timer, knife, chopping board, large non-stick frying pan
Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2008
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Comments, questions and tips
Comments
The recipe for the pud has to contain an error. It just does not ever cook through no matter how long it's left in the oven. I think perhaps 200 ml of milk would be enough.
The onion gravy works well. The mustard in the pud is a nice touch. Baking the sausages for a while and cooking the pud in the sausage fat is an interesting idea too.
I will use this technique again, but find a different recipe for the batter.
Spectacularly good. I didn't use quite as much milk - it would have been thinner than the advised 'double cream' consistency if I had. Also put foil over the top of the roasting tray for last few min of cooking as it was getting v brown. Used Irish pork chipolatas which worked very well. Fed 2 greedy adults and a hungry toddler - her first toad in the hole and she loved it! Thanks for a great recipe.
I followed this recipe to the dot & it went horribly wrong, after 40 mins the top was turning a yellowish colour & had risen but was still sticky so I assumed it needed longer, after 1hour it was still sticky underneath but the correct colour on top, oven was on correct gas mark & I used the correct size tray etc, can't understand how everyone's cooked so fast?!?!? Gravy was perfect so ended up taking the sausage out, bining the batter & whipping up some mash! Any suggestions on what could have gone wrong?